Story: # Points of View

The story determines points of view, how many characters you will tell it from. I think the genre also determines this. For instance, fantasy readers are more likely to accept more points of view, as well as more characters. For me, my romances have had TWO and TWO ONLY points of view, the hero and the heroine.

My five book fantasy series (Summoning) has had, I think, up to five points of view, hero/heroine and secondary characters. I even started out with a secondary character's point of view in the first book, Guardian of Honor -- to show you the set up on Lladrana. Also, there came a time in the book, where I wanted to foreshadow something and that couldn't be done in the hero's or heroine's point of view (they weren't speaking to each other). So I used the hero's brother, Luthan.

In the last two books of the Summoning series, Keepers of the Flame and Echoes in the Dark, I was primarily telling the story of the two couples. I'd learned from experience that the moment I put Alexa (heroine of Guardian of Honor) on stage she tended to take over, so she did NOT get a point of view.

I'm bringing this up because in the new Luna book (Lightfolk series) that I'm writing, in all the words I've done (38K), it's been in the heroine's point of view. I haven't actually sat down to analyze this -- and I DID do a hero's interview sheet in first person -- but I think I want to keep the hero's motivations a little murky.

So, there is only ONE point of view in this book. This may change after I move into it more, but currently it feels right.

May you enjoy your own point of view today.
Robin